Notes

Daughter of Ephraim Gosper and Edeath Douglas,Clare was the 8th of 13 children, born at Coates Creek, near Manildra, on 5 Sept.,1904. Her parents were farming there until 1905 when they moved to Eugowra. Here Clare attended the local school until illness through a bout of Typhoid Fever forced her to leave. With the large family she then helped at home. Her older sisters were married and their children were arriving so much of Clare's time was spent with domestic chores. These duties prevented her from receiving training for her fine singing voice - a lifetime regret.
However, Clare became an accomplished pianist and the family enjoyed evenings around the piano with their friends. Tom Banham was a regular guest on these occasions.
The couple had hoped to remain in Canowindra so the move to Parkes was never a thrill for Clare and the loss of the home they had worked so hard for was a bitter blow.
A selfless, modest persons kind and generous to a fault, Clare enjoyed caring for her family, knitting, sewing, reading and lawn bowls until ill health curtailed her activities.
33 Mitchell St., Parkes, became the family home until after Tom's untimely death. Clare then lived for 8 years at Nowra, returning to Parkes in November, 1982, where she died on 2 September, 1989, just 3 days before her 85th birthday.
She lies beside Tom at Parkes.

John Collits had two sons Pierce and John, and one daughter Esther, who married James Young and they had a hotel at Bandon in the days when Sir Frederick Potting and Inspector Stephenson had charge of the police force in this part of the State. The Young´s employed Ben hall as a stable boy long before he took to the roads, and Mrs. Young´s brother Pierce Collits, as recounted in the Sydney Morning Herald at the time of his death had cause to bless the day he came in friendly contact with Ben.

There were two Pierce Collits residing in the Forbes District for many years, the one who is now buried on his old property at the Sand Hills, near Forbes, and Pierce Collits, a cousin who managed Bundabura Station for the Stricklands, and who had his home in Lachlan Street , Forbes, in an old house which stood for many years near Dr. Vout´s surgery and home is now located.

Contrary to general belief, the bushrangers were not always on the best of terms with the big cattle station owners and managers, and it was not always possible for them to take or exchange a horse when in dire need of one. That sort of thing was generally winked at, but when a thoroughbred race horse was taken from Bundaburra on one occasion Pierce Collits´s manager, reported the loss to the police. That fact in time came to the knowledge of the bushrangers, and Pierce Collits, then living with his sister at Bandon Hotel, nearly paid with his life for having the same name as the Bundaburra Station manager. He was riding a horse belonging to Mrs. Young and had been below Forbes. There was no Fitzgerald´s Bridge in existence then, and the river crossing was at Finn´s about 4 miles below town, where the stream mostly consisted of pools.
Saying His Last Prayers
Pierce Collits had ridden to near the spot where the South Condobolin Road is bisected by the road leading to Salisbury. he encountered some of the bushrangers , and then Dan Morgan, a somewhat bloodthirsty member of the gang, learnt the name of the lone rider, he put him down on his knees saying his last prayers, while he menaced him with a large colt revolver. The timely arrival of Ben Hall, who explained the delusion Morgan was under undoubtedly spared Collits, for it was an unforgivable crime in the eyes of the bushrangers for anyone to assist the police in hunting them down. Morgan then wanted to take the horse, but Hall knew it was Mrs. Young´s and again stepped in and prevented Collits being left stranded on the roadside.

This Pierce Collits married Elizabeth Jones and they has 13 children most of whom grew up in the district.
(Mrs. Elizabeth Mc Rae (nee Collits) was one of the daughters. She lived most of her life at ``WyWorrie´´ Ferry Street, Forbes.

LOUAT, FRANK RUTLEDGE (1901-1963), barrister, was born on 30 December 1901 at Merrylands, Sydney, eldest child of James Rutledge Louat, a native-born architect, and his wife Mabel Frances Horton, née Busby, from New Zealand. A great-nephew of (Sir) Arthur Rutledge, Frank was proud of his French descent and pronounced his surname in the French manner. He was educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore) and the University of Sydney (LL.B., 1925; LL.D., 1933). Interested in politics, he was elected to the council of the National Party at the age of 21 and awarded the university's Morven Nolan prize for political science in 1923. On 14 May 1925 he was admitted to the Bar; he established his practice in University Chambers. Well known as a member of the university's debating team in 1925-26, Louat was a leader-writer (1926-28) for the Sydney Morning Herald and joint honorary secretary (1928) of the local branch of the United Association of Great Britain and France. With Selwyn Betts he published a much-used commentary, The Practice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales at Common Law (1928).
At St Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Sydney, on 27 June 1931 Louat married a divorcee Marian Julia Mackie, née Ellis-Oates; they were to be divorced in 1937. On 9 July 1938 he married another divorcee Isobel Anne Wearne, née Hamilton, at the Scots Church, Sydney. They lived at Greenknowe Avenue, Potts Point. From 1938 Louat frequently wrote for the Daily Telegraph and commented on current affairs for the Australian Broadcasting Commission. He was an executive-member of the United Australia Party and in 1940 unsuccessfully contested the Federal seat of Eden-Monaro.
For many years the only doctor of laws practising at the New South Wales Bar, Dr Louat projected an image of 'cheerful fussiness' in court: he was a stickler for procedure and involved himself 'with all the relevant details'. He appeared good-tempered and used his rich and mellow voice in the manner of
http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150157b.htm (1 of 2)9/08/2010 2:55:37 PM Louat, Frank Rutledge (1901 - 1963) Biographical Entry - Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

an accomplished actor. Having written his doctoral thesis on 'A survey of the executive power of the Commonwealth', he frequently appeared before the High Court of Australia in constitutional cases. President (1940-46) of the Constitutional Association of New South Wales, he advised the Commonwealth government on the Constitutional Convention in Canberra in 1942 and sat on the National Security Regulations Advisory Committee in 1944. Throughout World War II he was active in defence of civil liberties and free speech, and in May 1946 helped to organize protest meetings against strikes by industrial pressure groups. He was nominated by the Court of International Justice as an observer for the 1950 referendum in the French territories in India. On 16 July 1952 he took silk.
'A man of innumerable interests of an intellectual, artistic and social nature', Louat was a past president and life member of the Dante Alighieri Art and Literary Society, a trustee (from 1959) of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and a member of the Australasian Pioneers' Club and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. He enjoyed sailing, reading, writing and fishing. Louat was honorary vice-president of the French Chamber of Commerce in Australia. In 1958 he was appointed (chevalier) to the Légion d'honneur for furthering Australian-French relations, and habitually wore its discreet red ribbon in his buttonhole. Plump and clean shaven, he was proud of his culinary expertise and was president (1953-54) of the Wine and Food Society of New South Wales. Louat was on holiday in France when he died of heart disease on 26 January 1963 at Dijon. His wife survived him.
Select Bibliography
J. Gleeson, William Dobell (Syd, 1981); P. Buckridge, The Scandalous Penton (Brisb, 1994); New South Wales Bar Association, Bar Gazette, no 6, June 1963, p 13; Sydney Morning Herald, 21 Apr, 22 Dec 1925, 27, 29 Apr 1926, 4 May 1933, 3 June 1938, 18, 20 Sept, 8 Nov 1940, 19 Aug 1941, 28 July 1942, 24 Sept 1943, 7 May 1945, 2 and 3 May 1946, 3 Dec 1947, 14 Jan 1950, 17 July 1952, 15 July 1958, 29 Jan 1963; private information. More on the resources
Author: Martha Rutledge
Print Publication Details: Martha Rutledge, 'Louat, Frank Rutledge (1901 - 1963)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15, Melbourne University Press, 2000, pp 126-127.

Maria's daughter Lydia Banham married James Joseph McGrath on the 30th November 1882 at Carcoar. Her son William Banham, born September 1882, was born prior to this marriage. Father of that child is not recorded. Prior to the marriage she was living at home with her parents at Prospect Valley whilst her husband was living with his mother at Narang Creek. He was a butcher at the time of their marriage and she was a spinster . Witnesses to the marriage were Joseph Ryan and Bridget Boyd with Michael Hanley the officiating Minister.
She spent much of her life in the Gooloogong district. She was affectionately referred to as Granny McGrath. She died on the 26th July 1948 and was buried in the Gooloogong Cemetery. Aged 81 years.

"Mary, the first born of Antoine and Ann, married at the age of 16, a former convict from Yorkshire, William Stephenson. They were married by Henry Fulton at ChristChurch, Castlereagh on 23 November, 1818, the witnesses were John Bradley and Sarah Williams. They settled for a while at Llandilo, where William was Superintendent for Samuel Terry. James Tobais Ryan, in his book Reminiscences of Australia (p 340) mentions the Stephenson family in the 1830's. The family moved to Sydney where William became the licensee for the Square and Compass Hotel near Brickfield Hill in George Street. Later they took up land in the Crookwell River District of New South Wales where William is regarded as one of the early pioneers of the town of Crookwell. (Upland Pastures by William Bayley) Many decendants of William and Mary's thirteen children still reside in this district. Mary Stephenson, known to the family as "Gypsy" died in Crookwell on 9 April 1888 a the age of 85 years, her estate was sworn at 2200 pounds.

Obituary in the Crookwell Gazette, Friday, April 13, 1888
Death of Mrs. Stephenson Senior:

On Monday morning about six o'clock, Mrs. Mary Stephenson, one of the oldest residents on this district, died at the residence of her son, Mr. John N. Stephenson, in Crookwell, at the advanced age of eighty-five years. the cause of death being natural decay. Up to a few years ago the deceased was very active and vigorous for her age; but laterly her strenght failed visibly, and for the past few weeks she was confined to her bed, gradually sinking until her death.

Deceased was a native of Parramatta, and came to Crookwell about forty-two years ago, and has been a resident of the district ever since.

She was the mother of seventeen children, thirteen of whom are living, the eldest being sixty-seven years of age. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren number of 100, and many of her descendants are highly respected residents of this district.

The deceased was interred on Wednesday afternoon in the vault at James' Valley, and the remains were followed to the grave by a large number of relatives and neighbours. The service at the grave was conducted by the Rev. W.H.L. Kendall.

"Monday 16th December 1940
SKELTON -The Relatives and Friends of Mr George WILLIAM SKELTON
Mr and Mrs ROY SKELTON and Mrs H M BENNETT Mr and Mrs RUSSELL SKELTON Mr and Mrs GARNET SKELTON KENNETH and MAXWELL SKELTON are Invited to attend the Funeral of his dearlv beloved WIFE and their dear MOTHER Winifred Skelton to leave the Funeral Home 24 Enmore Road Newtown THIS AFTFRNOON at 3 15 pm for the Crematorium Rookwood"